[oomph.] eats. goen dining + bar.

there's a new restaurant, my sister says...want to try it?

sure, i say.

one condition, she says...you have to eat their impossible burger.

*insert ewww emoji*

while i'd been hearing the name, impossible, i didn't pay much attention to the commercials and assumed it was just a big burger that was impossible to finish. i recently discovered it was a brand of plant-based [meatless] meat. i also read and heard reviews, including my sister's, that it tasted just like meat!

ohhhkay, then...i'm goen for it!

i'm goen to need a cocktail to wash this down! 

we started with the mushroom fries. they were really good, but i was starting to wonder when the real food would show up!

we ended up sharing an impossible burger which truly was impossible for me to finish...even half of it. but, whew, real potato fries here!

first bite was great...just like a hamburger. as i continued to eat, my mind wanted to taste the plants, but the patty was seasoned well enough that i couldn't taste a difference while eating it altogether with the bun and tomato and lettuce and fries. however, there's a very slight difference in texture which might give it away if you ate the patty alone. it's moist and doesn't have the same toughness or chewiness as meat sometimes has.

overall, the impossible burger at goen dining + bar was tasty and enjoyable; i would order it again. i can't promise a fast food version will be as good.

goen lychee martini.

weekends are for brunch...these are their waffles.

have you tried the impossible burger yet?

tell me your thoughts on it!

[oomph.] eats. surfers coffee.

weekday mornings are pretty routine when it comes to breakfast, and i'm ok with that...oatmeal, toast with almond butter, fruit and yogurt. but every once in a while, i crave a good different breakfast.

on this day, we headed to surfers coffee, not far from home, for mochas + açaí bowls and decided to try their mochi waffle. it was so good. i tend to associate mochi with sweets and desserts, so i wasn't sure what to expect for a breakfast food, but it had the perfect amount of chewiness and sweetness served simply with honey and a sprinkle of powdered sugar. this time, we shared one. next time, i'm getting my own!

what's something different you tried lately...

a new dish? a new place?

nothing better than that first sip of coffee, amiright?

at first glance, i thought it was a small portion, but it ended up being just enough with a coffee or smoothie. 

this is their medium açaí bowl, perfectly portioned. it comes with honey, granola and bananas...i added strawberries.  

full and happy.

(aloha sweatshirt, bikinibird; Zara leather woven bag; Levi's denim shorts)

shop white sweatshirts:

POPSUGAR Clean Eating App. GIVEAWAY.

[i was given a free download to try out the app, all opinions and inches lost are 100% mine.]

if you're like me and enjoyed summer a little too much...ate well, drank well (who can blame us?)...you're probably feeling like it's time to get back on track with exercise and healthy eating. with POPSUGAR's Clean Eating App, it's easy! you get a two-week clean-eating plan - five recipes a day, complete with photos, ingredients, and directions.

i thought, ok, it's going to be complicated recipes of things i don't eat or don't have in my kitchen already. i was surprised to find some simple recipes including some of the foods i already eat. for example, these mini tuna cucumber sandwiches were right up my alley. i eat tuna anyways, all i had to do was swap out the bread for cucumber. it was such a refreshing lunch, and so simple.

do you have to do some prep work? yes. do you have to cut out everything? no. there's ice cream recipes, pudding, chocolate, and yummy smoothies! will you have to go out and find ingredients? maybe. you don't have to stick to the plan or recipes exactly. if it's less intimidating, ease into it by trying one of the recipes per day, then increase each week. revisit recipes you love. i came across a couple of recipes i knew i wouldn't make, so i just swapped them out for ones that i liked and were easy for me to make. i use the app as a guide to help me through the week. it not only provides recipes, but inspiration to want to eat healthier.

create a shopping list, see step-by-step directions, and view nutrient totals.

these were a hit in my house!

*     *     * 

GIVEAWAY

are you ready to clean up your act...er, eating?

i'm giving away a free iOS download for the POPSUGAR Clean Eating App to one reader who wants a jump start on eating clean and healthy. to enter, simply leave a comment with your email so that i can notify you if you win. winner selected at random end of my day tomorrow, 9/26.

let's do this!

[oomph] eats. harbor restaurant at pier 38.

while i love trying new places, i also have my favorites. a restaurant/bar makes my favorites list for either its amazing view, service, or food/drinks. secondary to that is its location, parking, and cleanliness. harbor restaurant at pier 38 hits the mark in almost all of the above. it's close to work, has a beautiful view of the harbor, the food is great, we always have great service, its location outside of downtown/waikiki means it's less crowded, and there's lots of parking.

dinner seating starts at 5pm, but you can arrive earlier to have drinks at the bar. they have a beautiful view of the sunset, although they tend to close the blinds during that time. however, they do reopen them in time to see a nice afterglow.  

post sunset view over the harbor...the afterglow.

appetizers: prime rib bites and potato crisps & dip.

brand new and clean interior. love the high ceilings and open feel.

favorite drink: the sunset

(house infused cherry vodka, malibu pineapple rum, chambord, sweet & sour)

salmon salad

you can even bring your own bottle of wine, no corkage fee.

dessert: tiramisu

harbor restaurant at pier 38

1129 n. nimitz highway

honolulu, hi 96817

[oomph] eats. Cafe Lani Hawaii.

during the holidays, i tried several new eateries in town. on this day, we went to Cafe Lani. i had no idea what to expect here, except that [my friend told me] they had all-you-can-eat bread for $4.99. we arrived around 5pm on a weekday and were seated immediately. 

walking into the restaurant is like walking into someone's home. the interior is white based with wooden accents, fun wall prints, couch-like pillows, and oversized lamps. the open floor plan allows you to see the chefs and bakers at work. we were greeted soon after and had excellent service throughout our dinner.

they are known for their unlimited bread for $4.99 with any entree. if you purchase a combo meal, like we did, the unlimited bread is included. this is a meal in itself! it's not just plain bread and butter...there are six different kinds on my plate, plus more that we didn't even get to try + 4 dipping sauces. they come around with a huge tray of breads. you can pick and choose what you want, but our waitress gave us one of everything to try. we were full before our meal arrived!

i ordered the chicken gratin set, $25; chicken gratin with gravy, french onion soup (or clam chowder), salad, and mini Lani pizza. the salad and french onion soup were really good. the gratin was decent, although i really couldn't eat much more at this point. i tasted a couple bites and packed the rest to take home. i took a bite of the cheese pizza, which was ok, but i also packed that to go. (mini-he appreciated that in the morning for breakfast.)

love the decor.

blueberry soda (with grey goose vodka).

my friend ordered the fedelini porcini cream sauce set, $25; porcini cream pasta + the same items as my combo. the pasta was really good. they also had a dessert menu with lots of yummy looking parfaits, but we were so full. next time!

after the fact, i read a lot of mixed reviews...probably more negative than good...complaining about the wait time, the slow service, the all you can eat bread scam, the prices, etc. we had a great experience, and i look forward to trying other things on their menu.

do you like to try new restaurants?

where have you been lately?

the layered tank.

hope everyone enjoyed their easter weekend. it was non-stop eating and drinking for me. i spent some QT with the minis at the beach, caught up with friends over drinks, and ate and ate with the family on easter. i finally picked up another piece of my home office - the desk. geez, it's been over a year since i bought the rug! it's progress. next up...the chair. 

i also managed to stop by Patty's Closet this weekend. they are stocked with fun spring pieces. this patterned black and white layered tank goes perfectly with denim. dress it up with a blazer or keep it casual with a utility jacket like i did here.

good wine with good friends.

dinner date with mini-he at genki sushi. he's a cheap date...only two plates + dessert for him. salmon for me.

acai bowls + shave ice.

refreshing big wave golden ale from kona brewing company after a day at the beach.

first time making broken glass jello (eggs). i only had one 6-egg mold, so the rest went into a pan, but props to anyone who makes this. it is hard work. mine isn't the prettiest, but it still tasted good!

super cute easter donuts from regal bakery.

(Patty's Closet top c/o; Pacsun denim; thrifted jacket; Rocksbox necklace)

snip snip.

the shorter do and yummy donuts for this wordless wednesday.

happy hump day.

see what's inside the box here.

(eshakti dress; paula & chlo necklace; laqa & co lips)